Blood Moon Ch. 03

Gelan ignored his friend and reached out towards her, clearly intending to wrap his thick fingers around her throat. His attempted maltreatment was thwarted by a holy shield, humming to life and visibly shining in the air near his hand. It sizzled when he touched it, and he immediately pulled his hand away as quickly as if he had inadvertently placed it atop a hot stove.

"Fucking magic users," he cursed, nursing his hand against his chest.

"Should have known," Vyan said, tossing a dagger at her shield and watching it bounce off. "Well then, I'm going to go check on our other prisoner... I'll leave her to you." He picked up his dagger and then thumped his hand down upon the other man's shoulder before turning to leave. "Come get me when you've broken her."

With that, the rogue left, leaving her and Gelan alone within the ramshackle hut. Wasting no time filling her ears with all kinds of curses and insults, he hacked away at her with an evil, needle-like sword, struggling in vain to make even a dent in her divine shield. Scowling, grunting and sweating profusely, he stabbed at her shield until he had tired himself out and sat in a heap upon the floor, spread-eagle and panting like a dog. Leaning against the table, she smirked down at him arrogantly.

"Don't worry you little bint, that shield won't last the night..." he swallowed a gulp of air, "...and when you've no strength left to maintain it I'll throat-fuck you until you vomit on my cock." Gelan reached into his trousers and began to stroke himself to her, finishing in such a speedy manner that she couldn't help but laugh. Fuming, the man climbed to his feet, long ears flushed crimson with anger.

He was right of course, she couldn't keep her shield up forever; she hadn't had anything to eat or drink and was already beginning to feel lightheaded. Getting ready for another go, her captor tapped his sword against his boot and then raised it, the tempered metal gleaming in the light streaming in from the open doorway, catching her eye and making her squint. It was in this moment that she noticed something peculiar behind the man: an almost imperceptible shimmer distorted the air not even two steps inside of the doorway. The light seemed to bend around it—just barely, and in such a way that would not have registered to her if she hadn't been looking directly at it. It was like a child crawling under a blanket, except in this case the blanket was reality itself. Sera found it oddly disturbing.

Gelan wound his arm up, his body flexing and beginning the earliest motions of a forward thrust—one of many that would chip at her stamina until she was ultimately defenseless—but the thrust never came. He croaked an odd, guttural whimper, his body slouching forward and the light in his eyes snuffing out like a candle flame pinched between two fingers. Another glint of steel caught her eye: this time, however, it was protruding out from Gelan's chest, slick with a brilliant scarlet. Her golden eyes widened in astonishment and she looked back towards where the distortment had been. It was still there, nearly on top of the dead elf, yet it changed, coalescing into something more substantial...

Coalescing into Ren.

He yanked his sword free from the skewered man, allowing his body to crumple into a heap at his feet. Their eyes locked and she blinked incredulously at him, her mouth opening and closing like a fish, unable to think of what to say. She had never expected to see him again and yet here he was, standing tall before her like a hero from a storybook ready to rescue her. Why had he come back to her? Had he? Perhaps he was one of the men that Kaerys had hired back in Gadgetzan. He did say that he was a sword for hire...

"Hello, Sera," he finally said somewhat awkwardly.

"Ren..." she slid off of the table she was sitting on and took a slow step towards him, a confusing mix of emotions rushing through her. "I don't understand. Why are you here?" Even now she felt angry with him, and yet, for reasons beyond just him rescuing her, part of her was happy to see him. Sera had come to enjoy his company during the week that they had spent together, even thought they had begun to develop a bond—one that extended beyond just animalistic sex.

"I've been following you since you left Gadgetzan," he replied, voice soft.

"But why?"

"I was curious."

"Curious?" she asked, anger boiling over. "You fuck me for a week, leave me, and then decide to follow me? What kind of a creep are you?"

"Leave you?" It was Ren's turn to be shocked. "Seraphita, I did not leave you—you left me!"

She snorted a mirthless laugh. "Excuse me? When I woke up you were gone! I asked the shipmaster and he told me you left just as soon as we landed."

"Gone? All I did was meet up with an old friend to learn more about that elven bastard you've been searching for." Ren's anger rose to match hers, though he struggled to keep his voice down. "When I came back you were gone so I asked around town for you; thankfully there aren't too many pretty elf women with blue hair in Gadgetzan so it didn't take me long to track you down to that rat's nest of a tavern."

As she looked up into his eyes, something clicked together. "That was you! You were that drunken idiot across from us!"

"I was not drunk," he said coolly.

Sera's lips curved into an infectious smile that spread to Ren. "Then this was all just a misunderstanding," she said, feeling like the biggest fool in the world. "Why didn't you leave a note or something you big idiot? I felt absolutely terrible... Quickly, untie me so that I can hit you."

Turning around and displaying her bindings, Ren freed her in one clear-cut slice. She turned back to face him and, rather than hitting the worgen, embraced him instead. He hugged her back, pulling her close against him and melting away her doubts in those strong arms of his.

"I'm glad you're ok," he murmured, gently stroking the back of her head.

Reunited and rekindled, Seraphita felt a surge of optimism flow through her. Kaerys would learn that his actions had consequences, and she would be the one to teach him. "We should go," she said finally, pulling away from Ren and then rising up onto her toes to kiss his muzzle. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"I knew it was just a misunderstanding," he lied, a toothy grin stretched across his face. "I will expect my reward later, of course." Ren gave her a playful swat on the behind.

"And you shall have it—provided we get out of here alive. I have unfinished business with Kaerys that needs to be taken care of." Seraphita pulled away from her furry savior and stretched, loosening her stiff muscles.

"So, I can't just kill him?"

"No, silly... not until I get the information I require, anyways." She finished her stretches and ran a hand through her hair—Light, did she need a bath. "His bodyguards don't seem like much, though I haven't seen the ones he hired in Gadgetzan. One of them is a rogue—a blood elf by the name of Vyan... and not the only rogue in this camp it would seem." She eyed him accusingly.

Ren scratched his brow nervously as he thought of a response. "I don't exactly consider myself a rogue. Actually I'd like to think that I'm more of a jack of all trades... And besides, I didn't really have much time to tell you when we were always—"

"Right, let's go then," Sera said, taking a few steps towards the door while struggling and failing to suppress a smile. "Do you know where my bodyguard is being held?" She hoped he was still alive.

"He's tied up a few buildings over. His guards seem to be treating him rather nicely."

"Well, he did say that Kaerys had hired some of his friends."

"Friends, eh?" Ren stroked his hairy chin. "Perhaps we can persuade them to join us."

"It's worth a shot," she agreed.

He nodded. "Come, I will conceal us."

"That's a very useful spell," Sera noted, recalling the odd distortion of light from before. "How do I know when I'm hidden?" Holding up a hand, she checked to see if she was invisible. She wasn't—not as far as she could tell, anyways.

"You don't, but I do. Stay close to me or it won't affect you."

"Oh, is that why you want me close?" she teased, latching onto his arm.

"This is not the time to tempt me, woman. Let's move."

Nodding and assuming the spell had already been cast, she followed alongside the worgen, hurrying out the door and towards a similarly run down shack. They covered the distance in no time, scampering past the massive fire pit in the middle of the complex and stopping a few feet away from the door of the dilapidated building. As they approached, she could hear muffled voices conversing with one another from inside, interjected now and then by laughter—confirming what Ren had said about Simon's captors.

"I will reveal you when you go inside. Do your best to convince them to either join us or to stay out of our way. If they're men of honor and will not betray their employer, I will kill them."

Something about how easily Ren said that last part frightened her, but she smiled and nodded anyways. "Then let us hope they are not honorable men."

Ren opened the door and stepped inside first, followed by her, unconcealed and fully visible. The old, brittle door creaked, alerting the men of their—or at least, her—presence, and the three bodyguards spun around to face them. They were a diverse band of peoples: a bald human with red-rimmed eyes and skin darkened by the desert sun, a pallid green orc with scars riddling his sleeveless arms like tattoos, and, to her greatest surprise, an exceptionally tall and slim night elf with wild purple hair that curled about his shoulders.

"How did you get out?" the orc growled, reaching for his axe. The other two followed suit, and in an instant she had three weapons brandished at her. Simon just stared at her in surprise.

Seraphita held up her hands placatingly, all the while, and unbeknownst to the sellswords, forming her shields up around her body. "I'm here to make an offer," she began. "Two of Kaerys' bodyguards are dead. They were evil men and no doubt very loyal to him." They seemed surprised by this and, she hoped, a little impressed. "Now, I have not known Mr. Bolero for long, but he seems like a good man and I would like to believe that those he associates with are good men as well." The trio looked down at Simon who nodded, and then quickly rechanneled their gaze upon her.

"I have not lifted a hand against your employer," she continued, "yet he binds me and then leaves me to his men that they may defile and then kill me." A wave of unease seemed to wash over them upon hearing this. It was a promising sign. "I will not ask you to fight for me, but if you at least stay out of my way when I deal with your employer, I will pay you the same amount that I am paying Mr. Bolero: twenty silver each." Finishing, Sera looked into the eyes of each man standing before her and then risked a quick glance to her side where Ren was standing. He was so still that, even knowing he was there, she couldn't see the odd distortions in the air as she had earlier.

"You're asking us to betray our employer." The bald man lowered his sword, because of its weight or her words she didn't know.

"Yes. If you'd like, I can pay you and you can ride back to Gadgetzan right now."

"I heard about what you did to Eranis," the night elf spoke, apparently referring to the man she had slain before her capture, "and now you say that you have killed another of Kaerys' sin'dorei. You must have considerable powers of your own then."

"Correct," she said flatly; She didn't want to give him more information about her than was necessary.

"He's a warlock," the orc spat. "If I had known that before I would have never agreed to work for him."

"Then work for me instead," she insisted.

The three mercenaries turned from her and huddled together, whispering like school children in a classroom until, finally, they split apart and looked at her, weapons sheathed.

"We will aid you," the green man grunted. The other two nodded their approval.

Seraphita smiled. "Wonderful."

***

Vyan shaded his eyes with a hand as he walked towards the building housing Seraphita Silverbreeze. He had heard nothing from Gelan and his patience was at its limit: if Gelan couldn't break her, he would. Then, it suddenly struck him that he might have indeed broken her and was currently using her without telling him first. Quickening his step and stomping his feet, Vyan called out to the other elf as he approached the doorless shack.

"You'd better be working on her shield in there, Gelan! I will not degrade myself by screwing your sloppy seconds!"

Marching into the sandy-floored building, he came to an abrupt halt within the doorframe, his emerald eyes widening in surprise. Inside, Gelan laid in a heap like a bundle of forgotten laundry, a large hole in his back. The ground around him was damp and dyed red with blood. Did the bitch do this? But what of the—

Something moved out of the corner of his eye and he lunged forward, narrowly evading a thrust that would have skewered him through the heart.

"A rogue!?" he snarled, spinning to meet his attacker.

The space where he had stood moments prior shimmered and wavered, the mirage falling apart until at last his assailant was revealed.

"W-worgen?" The beast filled the doorway, blocking the only exit with its massive girth. It was wearing leather armor—perhaps riveted with steel plates?—but its arms were uncovered save for its deep brown fur. If he could just land a hit with one of his poisoned blades the beast would go down as easily as a gnome.

The goliath struck at him again, using a sword that seemed far too small for it, and he easily parried the strike. Taking another step back towards Gelan's corpse, he studied the hairy man-beast. Despite missing each of his blows, it seemed to be smiling, revealing rows of splendid white teeth, many of them razor-sharp. Its grin was mocking and it enraged Vyan.

"Are you lost, dog? You had best leave while you still have that pretty fur coat." He brandished his daggers and fell into the most basic of stances that had been taught to him, waiting for the next strike to make his move. He was not so foolish as to rush headfirst into a worgen.

"A very useful spell, indeed," the worgen rumbled, sounding pleased with itself.

Useful spell? "Make sense, you rabid animal!"

It seemed to be looking past him, ignoring his taunts and nodding. Perhaps it really was mad. He narrowed his eyes. Useful spell...

Vyan whirled and noticed for the first time a distorted movement in the air near the table in the center of the room. Cursing, he rushed towards it as the prisoner from earlier appeared in front of him, her eyes blindingly bright and her hair a radiant blue. Her left hand pulsed with light, but whatever spell she was casting seemed incomplete for he had yet to be struck down. There was still time! Grinning wickedly, he aimed both of his daggers so as to impale her in a downwards strike on either side of her neck. His blades fell upon her—and reflected off of her shield with a pathetic screeching of metal.

That fool Gelan hadn't weakened her shield in the slightest!

"I am not broken," she said, voice like steel and her hand rising so that her fingertips brushed against his chest.

A burst of light that burned like fire smashed into him, throwing him to the ground next to Gelan. He was dead before he hit the dirt.

***

"Are you alright?" Ren touched Seraphita's arm in what was meant to be a reassuring gesture. She leaned into him and sighed, her sapphire-blue hair falling around her face like curtains.

"I don't like to hurt people," she spoke, voice soft.

"I know."

"They never give me much choice though."

"I know. That's how it usually is with bad men." he reassured.

She looked up at him, a smile on her lips. It was a sad smile and her face was smeared with dirt, but even still her beauty shined through.

"I'll take care of Kaerys," he offered.

Seraphita laughed at this. "You know, you're quite the gentlemanly knight... for someone who lacks proper pant-wearing etiquette." She pushed against him playfully and then pulled away from him. "No, I have questions to ask the magister. We will handle him together."

"Assuming the orc's plan doesn't work, that is," he grunted.

"Let us hope that it does."

***

Murg's plan was simple: he would tell Kaerys that the elf lady escaped and then sucker punch him in the gut when he was busy raging. Afterwards, they would chain him up and interrogate him. It was a good, orcish plan, no need for any theatrics.

So it was that he hurried towards the cabin of his now former employer, a purpose in his step that he hoped would fool the warlock. It would not be difficult for him to act surprised over the prisoner's escape, for he was surprised; how did she manage to escape and then kill both of those elves? One of the fools must have untied her. Cocky idiots.

Murg was almost there. "My Lord!" he shouted, addressing the elf more politely than he ever had before. He yelled again: "My Lord!" His feet bounded up the steps and onto the porch of Kaerys' rickety dwelling. A muffled shout yelled something unintelligible back at him and then the door to the hut burst open with all of the anger of its hateful master.

"What is it you green-skinned buffoon!?" Kaerys barked, stepping out to meet him. "I'm trying to scry somebody very important and you're ruining everything!"

"The prisoner has escaped!" Murg said, feigning distress.

"Which one, fool? Spit it out!"

Just another step... "The elf woman."

Kaerys' eyes bulged and his body seemed to tremble in rage, a thick angry vein pulsing across his temple. He hammered the butt of his staff against the ground like a petulant child and then opened his mouth to speak.

Murg lunged forward, his big green fist balled and aimed at Kaerys' stomach.

***

Kaerys staggered backwards, trying and failing to evade Murg's surprise attack. The orc's fist slammed into his stomach in what would have been an incapacitating blow had he not hastened a minor defensive spell. His skin hardened just before impact, nearly sending him sprawling to the ground despite absorbing most of the attack. Wildly, he battered at the air before him with his staff and launched a series of random fireballs in front of him. Two of them whizzed through the air, striking nothing, but one of them caught the orc in the shoulder, causing him to curse and halt his assault.

"Traitor!" Kaerys snarled, regaining his footing and focusing his gaze upon the scorched orc who was cradling his right arm. Fingers crackling with felfire, he wove a furious incantation: the fire at his fingertips took flight, coiling in the air around Murg but not yet seeking his life.

"Who put you up to this?"

"Piss off, demon cock-sucker," Murg growled.

"Tell me and I'll ensure that your death is painless."

"Ok, it was your mother—you're so ugly not even she wants you around."

Typical savage. No matter, he would wring the truth from the rest of them. Lips curving into a wicked grin, Kaerys curled his fingers, balling his hands into fists and directing the felfire swimming in the air around Murg to enclose upon him. The harsh green flames moved to obey him but they abruptly stopped, pressing and spreading out against a glowing barrier of light.

The damn priestess!

Wide eyed and frantic, he released the spell and the flames struggling to reach Murg dissipated in a puff of smoke. Searching, he found the shield's mistress: Seraphita Silverbreeze was approaching from his right side, accompanied by two of his other bodyguards and the human that had been captured along with her. How had he only now noticed her? Perhaps his father was right; maybe his anger really did blind him.